GM, BMW and EVs

Chances are, your visits to the gas station take about 5 minutes total to fill up. One of the challenges of electric vehicles (EVs) is that they take longer to charge. Think hours.

But General Motors and BMW have announced that joint testing engineers from both companies have concluded that SAE Combo DC Fast Charge units from suppliers including ABB, Aker Wade, Eaton, and IES are capable of “consistently” charging an EV to 80% of charge in less than 20 minutes.

Certainly longer than a refill at the gas station, but notably shorter than had been the case.

Notably, Ford, Chrysler, Daimler, Volkswagen, Audi, and Porsche have also signed on to the SAE Combo Fast Charge connector, so there is some strong industry-wide support from the get-go.

Britta Gross, GM director, advanced vehicle commercialization policy, stated, “This unprecedented cooperation among OEMs and equipment suppliers demonstrates the maturity of this important technology that will help speed the adoption of electric vehicles around the world.”

GM is particularly interested because of the Spark EV. BMW is getting ready for the i3 EV.

Not only does this fast charging mean that people who don’t have the ability to plug in their EVs at home will have better, faster accessibility to their electric mobility, but for those who can charge at home, it is a big boon, as well.

The joint GM-BMW announcement underscores the seriousness with which OEMs are addressing alternative powertrain technology.